hi there....

[carey]

posted this in the newbies thread....but thought I would post here also....

I have ordered the book, but want to go out and get the supplements tomorrow morning. I have read a dizzying array of posts on the site about the supps, so I just want a clear and simple way to get started.
As far as I can tell, (mind is fogged after reading hundreds of posts) the best way to start is with kudzu and l-glutamine. Am I right? What about baclofen? (SP?).
And if I am right, what doses should I start with?

I have severe anxiety (panic attacks) and depression. So should get some SAM-E also?
I am just looing for some clear advice to get going tomorrow.

And advice would be massively appreciated. I know many of you started out on this program, and have read the many sucess stories. I just need a "starter's kit" advice at this point.

Many thanks to any of you kind enough to respond.
Carey

[Muddle]

hi there....

Carey, just wanted to say hello and welcome, even though I don't know much about the supps. I've only tried the Kudzu, and I do think it helps. I take about 6 tablets a day (unsure of dosage). I'll be watching the posts to your question, because I have panic attacks as well and am unsure what natural remedies work for people.

[brightlite]

hi there....

Hello Carey

And welcome. All I can do is tell you what has worked for me. I've tried the topamirate, campral, antabuse and various other things like meditation, yoga, hypnosis. The only thing that has given some sembelance of my life back is the baclofen. I'm sure others will post.

[brightlite]

hi there....

Just wanted to address the issue of anxiety and panic attacks. Get the book by Dr. Olivier Ameisen and read it. It states that most of the time the problem with alcoholism stems from a pre-condition of anxiety or depression. "The more you know"

[Lo0p]

hi there....

Check this out: http://www.intellectualicebergs.org/..._10_060322.mp3

It's Dr. David Sinclair. Apparently there is a cure for panic attacks now too. You'll have to fast forward through the first segment called "Scales of Superiority" in order to get to the interview with Sinclair.

If you breathe through a hand held carbon dioxide scrubber, like those used on spaceships to clean the air it stops panic attacks dead in their tracks.

[bernard]

hi there....

I was just unlucky enough to have wasted a few minutes listening to the loopy segment. According to the CO2-panic theory, the only thing fish ever worried about was swimming into water with low O2 (notice they don't panic at high CO2). So pockets of low O2 must be so common that fish evolved to be more vigilant of the dissolved O2 level than being eaten by predators, even in the open ocean. Further, this primordial fear has been passed down through a quarter billion years of evolution to humans, who, like fish, are only fearful of the oxygen level.

If you've ever breathed into an automotive exhaust gas analyzer (among other instruments), you'll be amazed at how high your CO2 is in your exhaled air. If you hold your breath a bit, you can easily make it go more than 100 times higher than ambient. The living animal, including humans, produce CO2. The gas in the lungs needs to have an average CO2 level much higher than ambient (the air in the room or outdoors that you're in); this is why hyperventilating causes problems. The effect of scrubbing the tiny amount of CO2 from the inhaled air is swamped by the body's own production of CO2. In fact, there is so much CO2 and low O2 in exhaled air that you can extinguish a candle flame just by breathing gently onto it (from the side, not from above!) after holding your breath for several seconds.

Thus, the CO2-panic theory appears to be nonsense on its face, and it raises doubts about its proponents' credibility in general. Enough said? I hope so, because I must get back to my scrubber because I'm afraid I've offended a few, but--now I know-- that is not what I really fear!

[mario]

hi there....

:welcome: carey you are in a good place :goodjob:

[beatle]

hi there....

This is a very important point: Bac reduces, and in many cases eliminates, anxiety.

If you read through the Bac threads here, and I suggest you do, you will notice how many people write that their anxiety was reduced or eliminated from the very beginning of Bac usage at very low levels. It reduced mine from day one, and I have tried pretty much every single medicine and herb and supplement available without success. For me, in terms of anxiety, Bac is not just amazing, it is a miracle.

So, even if you don't take Bac for your alcohol problem, I strongly recommend it for anxiety.

As for my alcohol problem, Bac has greatly reduced cravings, and increased the effect of alcohol on me, but I am still drinking. However, I am still at relatively low levels of Bac, and my drinking has decreased more or less naturally.

But a lot of people on here have quit drinking altogether almost painlessly, even some of the real "hard core" cases.

Enough said. You will literally find all the answers to your questions in the Bac threads here. Read the Bac progress thread and the Bac Success thread and the Side-effects and Adverse reactions threads-- it's all there. And for brief but complete information -- read the "Dr. Ameisen's Baclofen cure -- relevant information" thread posted by Zenstyle. I just bumped it up to the top for you (and all newcomers).

For more info on kudzu, l-glut and supplements-- go to the Holistic Healing forum and do a search (There is a recent thread on supplements, on which I posted the answers to almost all your questions in this post). I have written at least a few hundred posts on supps/natural anti-craving supps through my journey, and not to be a snob, but I am a wealth of information on these, but I am tired out of writing out the same information over and over in response to slightly differently formulated questions... however, if after reading that stuff, you still have questions about the natural supplements and herbs, etc., ask them on the Holistic Healing forum. Or you can PM me with specific questions. I doubt there is any question I can't answer, not just because of the research and studying I have done, but also from personal experience.

Oh, and welcome! All the best!

[happy4once]

hi there....

Hi Carey -
The site can be extremely overwhelming when you first start - I remember the first time I came here expecting to see posts like those between Brenda & RJ in the book and was totally lost because everyone seemed to be struggling and not following the book much...it takes a while to find your way around. There are definitely successes here but most successes are from a slightly altered 'prescription' than outlined in the book - you will find your cure is a very personal journey and you are right in asking questions to find out what will work for you. Overall, I found that the supps help and get you started in thinking about how you can heal your body, so even if you don't end up using all of them forever, you would do well to order the starters kit if money is not an issue. I still use some of the supps nearly 2 years after starting.


I've done all of the MWO supps plus hypnosis...I can tell you what works for me: the all one (or any amino acid type powder) is very important for recovering alcoholics as is some form of B complex. I also take GABA for anxiety (love it). The kudzo never really helped me much nor did the l-glut -- although others swear by it. Simply cutting sugar out (or cutting back) of your diet should reduce your sugar cravings. I take SAM-e and swear by it for depression and anxiety - not the form sold through this site however...that never helped me at all. Hypno was also a great help to me although it did not keep me sober when I cut back doing Hypno after a month or so - it's a big time commitment and did not prevent slips for me (1 drink always led back to old patterns). Topa is very dangerous to try, in my opinion, because it can cause anger & depression. There are better medications out there now...this Meds forum has very good info on the meds.

Most of the users on this forum now take Baclofen and are having excellent results plus reduced anxiety. I do not take bac - I chose The Sinclair Method (which uses Naltrexone in a specific way) instead and consider myself cured of my addiction...this is not a popular method on this site but again, it cured me, for which I am forever grateful. I no longer crave alcohol at all and only need to take a pill when I drink, which is now down to a few times a month. Again - most of the info here is on Bac which is truly miraculous and I believe provides a very quick reduction in both anxiety and drinking. (If you are interested in Nal /The Sinclair Method- visit thesinclairmethod.com • Index page. I chose this method because it attacks the roots of your addiction not your symptoms - but it's really a personal choice and the bottom line is both meds work, so you no longer have to white knuckle your way to sobriety.).

Keep reading - there is a ton of information here but your journey will likely be a bit trial and error, aided by those that have gone before you.

Best of luck on your journey and congratulations on taking the first step!

[Anna B]

hi there....

Hi Carey,

Welcome! This website has been extremely helpful for me. I hope you get what you need out of it. I spent a week reading through posts and, although overwhelming at first, it was very helpful for me.

I'm taking baclofen and having success with it beyond what I ever could have hoped for. But, there are lots of options and it's worth checking into as many as you can. Baclofen has been working for me in part because it's completely eliminated my crippling anxiety. (I didn't want to keep taking benzos because I could tell I was getting addicted to them.) Feel free to PM me if you think that would help.

--Anna

[Anna B]

hi there....

Lo0p;704036 wrote: Check this out: http://www.intellectualicebergs.org/..._10_060322.mp3

It's Dr. David Sinclair. Apparently there is a cure for panic attacks now too. You'll have to fast forward through the first segment called "Scales of Superiority" in order to get to the interview with Sinclair.

If you breathe through a hand held carbon dioxide scrubber, like those used on spaceships to clean the air it stops panic attacks dead in their tracks.

Thanks for passing this along, LoOp. I've heard of this research from a fellow psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety. It's provocative work (although obviously needs a lot more research than one study with more subjects--did I hear correctly that there were only 9 subjects?). But it's not at all effective for generalized anxiety disorder, unfortunately.